Michigan

Did James Franco deserve an Oscar nod?

Updated January 24, 2018 at 12:06 PM;Posted January 24, 2018 at 12:00 PM

James Franco, left, winner of the award for best performance by an actor in a motion picture - musical or comedy for "The Disaster Artist," and Dave Franco pose in the press room at the 75th annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton Hotel on Sunday, Jan. 7, 2018, in Beverly Hills, Calif. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP, File)

James Franco was a top contender for a Best Actor nomination for his work in "The Disaster Artist." But after winning the precursor for Best Actor -- Musical/Comedy at the Golden Globes, the actor had been accused by five women of sexual exploitation, which has left some polarized in where these accusations fit our national dialogue surrounding consent and the #MeToo movement. Many suspect the allegations hurt his Oscar chances. So, was he deserving amid the allegations?

PERSPECTIVES

Franco has been accused of sexually exploitative behavior by five women in a Los Angeles Times article one day after winning a Golden Globe. Alongside an accusation against Aziz Ansari, Franco's alleged exploitative behavior has expanded the national dialogue into gray areas about consent and the societal norm of how men pressure women into sex.

"James is absolutely not a Harvey Weinstein," Sarah Tither-Kaplan said on "Good Morning America" on Tuesday. "He's not an unfeeling monster who has no sense of reality."

"There were a lot of scenes that were added after we were given the original scripts that I felt -- I wished I had more time to consider them or understand the artistic value of them," she explained. "A lot of times they seemed gratuitous or exploitative ... He created an exploitative environment on his sets."

"He kinda like, pushed my head down and was saying, like, 'C'mon,'" she said, adding that she knows her relationship with the actor complicates her story.

"I am regretful," she said. "I was young. He was a celebrity I looked up to."

In the case of Ansari, his accuser describes in a polarizing Babe.net story a date with the star where she felt pressured into sex. The dialogue on dismantling society's norm of building consent around the sexual desires of men is expanding and many feel men shouldn't be shut out of the movement, as those norms unravel.

Some critics believe the movement should move into a direction where victims are not only heard and accusers are held accountable, but in the cases like Franco and Ansari -- men are part of the conversation and able to rectify and learn from their mistakes.

The allegations against Franco, which broke the day before the voting deadline for nominations, caused some voters to change their minds about him, or even ask the Academy if they could change their votes, according to the LA Times. The paper quoted one anonymous actress saying, "The last thing we need, right in the middle of all this talk about sexual harassment and gender inequity in Hollywood, is someone like that as an Oscar nominee."

Some feel like Franco is definitely a case where the art should be separated from the artist.

Still, some recognize Franco's "snub" as a necessary shift in the entertainment industry. Supporters argue #TimesUp and #MeToo are part of a movement that's already dismantling sexual assault across industries and seeing results in the quest for gender inequality.

I have mixed emotions about James Franco for not being nominated for 'Best Actor'. In a vacuum, that performance 100% deserves to be nominated. That being said, the Academy doesn't ignore outside influences, and probably shouldn't in this case. #OscarNoms

The Tylt is focused on debates and conversations around news, current events and pop culture. We provide our community with the opportunity to share their opinions and vote on topics that matter most to them. We actively engage the community and present meaningful data on the debates and conversations as they progress. The Tylt is a place where your opinion counts, literally. The Tylt is an Advance Digital, Inc. property. Join us on Twitter @TheTylt or on Facebook, we'd love to hear what you have to say.